Coating for golf club head

ABSTRACT

A coating includes a bottom paint layer coated on a surface of the golf club head and an elastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, with the elastomeric resin layer containing quenchers. When light beams are incident on the elastomeric resin layer, the quenchers provide a double scattering effect for the light beams passing therethrough and thus reduce the intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a coating for a golf club head. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a coating on a golf clubhead for scattering light beams incident on the golf club head.

2. Description of Related Art

Golf is an outdoor game and the sunlight incident on the golf club headis sometimes reflected to the eyes of a golfer hitting a golf ball.Thus, the golfer might be distracted and thus miss the aim. FIG. 1 ofthe drawings illustrates a golf club head with a bottom paint layer 2 ona surface 1 thereof. The bottom paint layer 2 contains quenchers 21 toprovide not only anti-rust/decoration functions but also increasedlight-scattering power, softening the reflected light beams and thuspreventing the golfer from missing his/her aim.

However, since the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2 still reflectssunlight incident thereon and since there are only few quenchers 21exposed at the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2, most of lightbeams incident on the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2 aredirectly reflected. Namely, the scattering effect is limited, as thequenchers 21 not on the outer face of the layer of bottom paint 2 arenot effectively used. Further, in a case that some of the light beamsare incident on the defects 22 on the golf club head, since the incidentlight beams are subjected to limited scattering, the reflected lightbeams still have sufficient brightness such that the defects 22 on thegolf club head will be perceived by the golfer. Additional polishingprocedure to the surface 1 of the golf club head is required or the golfclub head will be treated as a disqualified one.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a coating on a surfacegolf club head, providing a double scattering effect for improving thesurface scattering effect.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coating on asurface of a golf club head to improve the visual effect.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a coating on asurface of a golf club head to improve the touch.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coating ona surface of a golf club head with a durable bottom paint layer.

Yet another object of the present is to provide a coating on a surfaceof a golf club head with improved damping effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a coatingincludes a bottom paint layer coated on a surface of the golf club headand an elastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, withthe elastomeric resin layer containing quenchers. When light beams areincident on the elastomeric resin layer, the quenchers provide a doublescattering effect and thus reduce the intensity of the light beamsreflected from the bottom paint layer.

The bottom paint layer is selected from the group comprising phenolicpaint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint, nitrocellulose paint, andacrylic paint. The bottom paint layer preferably has a thickness between10 μm and 100 μm.

The elastomeric resin layer is made of a material selected from thegroup comprising polyurethane, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and highmolecular elastomeric resin. The elastomeric resin layer preferably hasa thickness between 20 μm and 200 μm.

Preferably, the quenchers are fine powders of a material selected fromthe group comprising silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum stearate, calciumstearate, and low molecular thermoplastic resin.

The elastomeric resin layer may further contain a hardening agent foraccelerating hardening of the elastomeric resin layer.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional coating on a golfclub head; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a coating on a golf club head inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are now to be describedhereinafter in detail.

Referring to FIG. 2, in accordance with the present invention, a coatingis coated on a surface 1 of a golf club head and includes a bottom paintlayer 2 coated on the surface 1 of the golf club head and an elastomericresin layer 3 coated on the bottom paint layer 2, with the elastomericresin layer 3 containing quenchers 31.

The surface 1 may be any part of a golf club head of any material orshape, e.g., a crown, sole, side, striking face, or cap of a woodenclub, iron club, or putter made of metal, alloy, or carbon fiber. Thebottom paint layer 2 includes highly reflective paint selecting from thegroup comprising phenolic paint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint,nitrocellulose paint, and acrylic paint. The bottom paint layer 2 iscoated on the surface 1 of the golf club head by painting, spraypainting, or immersion. The bottom paint layer 2 may have any desiredcolor and have a thickness preferably between 10 μm and 100 μm, mostpreferably between 20 μm and 40 μm. As illustrated in FIG. 2, defects 22are formed on an outer face of the bottom paint layer 2.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the elastomeric resin layer 3 is made oftransparent elastomeric material with high transmissivity and lowreflectivity. For example, the transparent elastomeric material isselected from the group comprising polyurethane, rubber, thermoplasticelastomer, and high molecular elastomeric resin. The elastomeric resinlayer 3 is coated on the bottom paint layer 2 by painting, spraypainting, or immersion. The elastomeric resin layer 3 has a thicknesspreferably between 20 μm and 200 μm, most preferably between 35 μm and80 μm. The quenchers 31 are premixed in the elastomeric resin layer 3and made of a material with excellent scattering effect, such as finepowders of silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum state, calcium stearate, orlow molecular thermoplastic resin.

Still referring to FIG. 2, when using a golf club head with a coating inaccordance with the present invention under the sunlight, light beamsare firstly incident on the elastomeric resin layer 3 and pass throughthe elastomeric resin layer 3, as the elastomeric resin layer 3 istransparent and made of a material with low reflectivity. The lightbeams passing through the elastomeric resin layer 3 are scattered by thequenches 31 in the elastomeric resin layer 3. The scattering undergoesthroughout the elastomeric resin layer 3, not limited to the outer faceof the elastomeric resin layer 3, providing improved scattering effect.

Then, the light beams are incident on the outer face of the bottom paintlayer 2 and reflected therefrom. The reflected light beams pass throughthe elastomeric resin layer 3 again, during which the quenchers 31scatter the light beams again. Thus, the quenchers 31 provide a doublescattering effect irrespective of the incident angle of the incidentlight beams, as the light beams will pass the elastomeric resin layer 3twice. The intensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paintlayer 2 is reduced to an extent acceptable to the golfer that is lookingat the golf club head while string a golf ball. Further, the defects 22on the outer face of the bottom paint layer 2 would not be perceived bythe golfer, as the intensity of the light beams reflected from the outerface of the bottom layer 2 has been reduced by the quenchers 31 in theelastomeric resin layer 3.

Wear, fading, oxidation, or peeling of the bottom paint layer 2 isprevented by the elastomeric resin layer 3 coated on the outer face ofthe bottom paint layer 2. Further, the elastomeric resin layer 3provides improved touch and improved damping effect when the thicknessof the elastomeric resin layer 3 is increased to an appropriate extent.In a case that the bottom paint layer 2 and the elastomeric resin layer3 are coated on a rear side of a striking plate of a golf club head, theresidual vibrations resulting from striking a golf ball can be absorbedand the deformability of the striking plate can be adjusted.

On the other hand, the surface 1 of the golf club head usually has anoutline with various centers of curvatures, bent corners, or undercuts;namely, the surface 1 of the golf club head has higher sections andlower sections. When coating the elastomeric resin layer 3 on the outerface of the bottom paint layer 2, the material of the elastomeric resinlayer 3 tends to flow from the higher sections toward the lower sectionsunder the action of gravity, resulting in non-uniform distribution ofthe elastomeric resin layer 3. This problem is worse when theelastomeric resin layer 3 has a greater thickness. To solve thisproblem, hardening agent is added into the elastomeric resin layer 3 toincrease the adhesion strength and to accelerate the interlinkingbetween molecules, thereby accelerating hardening of the elastomericresin layer 3 and providing the elastomeric resin layer 3 with a uniformthickness.

While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connectionwith specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled inthe art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention, and that any modification and variation without departingthe spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope ofthis invention defined only by the appended claims.

1. A coating on a surface of a golf club head, the coating comprising: abottom paint layer coated on the surface of the golf club head forreflecting light beams incident on the bottom paint layer; and anelastomeric resin layer coated on the bottom paint layer, theelastomeric resin layer allowing light beams to pass therethrough andincluding quenchers for scattering the light beams passing therethrough;when the light beams are incident on the elastomeric resin layer, thequenchers in the elastomeric resin layer provide a double scattingeffect for the light beams passing therethrough and thus reduce theintensity of the light beams reflected from the bottom paint layer. 2.The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1,wherein the bottom paint layer is selected from the group comprisingphenolic paint, alkyd paint, polyurethane paint, nitrocellulose paint,and acrylic paint.
 3. The coating on a surface of a golf club head asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom paint layer has a thicknessbetween 10 μm and 100 μm.
 4. The coating on a surface of a golf clubhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomeric resin layer is madeof a material selected from the group comprising polyurethane, rubber,thermoplastic elastomer, and high molecular elastomeric resin.
 5. Thecoating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe elastomeric resin layer has a thickness between 20 μm and 200 μm. 6.The coating on a surface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1,wherein the quenchers are fine powders of a material selected from thegroup comprising silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminum stearate, calciumstearate, and low molecular thermoplastic resin.
 7. The coating on asurface of a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein theelastomeric resin layer further contains a hardening agent foraccelerating hardening of the elastomeric resin layer.